


Fictober Forever (or at least for 2019)

by GuestPlease



Series: Real World Consequences [3]
Category: Twelve Forever (Cartoon)
Genre: A lot more ButtDeal than originally expected tbh, Adult Fear, Adult Language, F/M, Fictober, Gen, M/M, Mother-Daughter Relationship, She's very tsundere, Takes place in the RAF-verse, The Butt Witch is also kinda depressed, but it's not canon, like 'I'm projecting my symptoms onto her' depressed, the Butt Witch is still bad with feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-11-09 11:01:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 10,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20852354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuestPlease/pseuds/GuestPlease
Summary: A collection of Twelve Forever Fictober drabbles.





	1. "It will be fun, trust me."

Reggie drew herself up to her full height after passing out pool noodles. This did not inspire much confidence in her companions.

Esther held the pool noodle at arm’s length, as though it was an angry venomous snake. Brown Roger chittered nervously.   
“What’s the purpose of this game?” Gwen asked.   
“_Is_ this a game?” Todd muttered.

“Yeah! C’mon, guys, it’ll be fun! Trust me!” Reggie said confidently. “First, we joust with them to determine the winners. Don’t hold back—I mean you, Eve!”   
The Butt Witch looked at her pool noodle, then looked at Reggie. “When have I ever held back when it comes to inflicting violence on children?”

Gwen and Reggie chuckled. Todd, Esther, and Brown Roger pointedly did not. Gwen stopped chuckling when Butt Witch turned a toothy grin to her.   
“Where did you guys meet her, again?” She whispered to Todd.   
“We accidentally summoned her from a volcano, and she spent months trying to destroy us.” Todd whispered back.   
“Why is she here for the Best Friend Brawl?” Gwen whispered more urgently, beginning to eye the competition. Brown Roger was now hissing at Todd, ready for battle.

“We don’t have that many friends, and most of ‘em are here on Endless. Besides, she’s Esther’s pick. I guess after the weird week when they were missing, Butt Witch made friends with her?”

“Todd, Gwen, if you guys don’t pay attention to the rules, I’m not going over them again!” Reggie called.   
“Um, how are we going to joust?” Gwen asked.   
“Well, one of you is gonna be the horse, and one of you is gonna be the knight. …Todd’s prolly gonna be the horse, since he can shapeshift and stuff.”

“Then why is it necessary for the vessels to have pool noodles?” Butt Witch asked.   
“So that you can use them to skate across the volcano together—duh!” Reggie said. “It’s _super_ hot today.”   
“And then what?” Esther asked.   
“You try to feed your pool noodles—what’s left of ‘em, anyway—to Colin.” Reggie said offhandedly. “Obviously, whoever wins the joust has a head start on the volcano, and whoever gets across the volcano fastest gets an extra pool noodle so they’re not disqualified if they melt.”

“And what do we _get_ for winning this?” Todd asked.   
Reggie puffed out her chest. “You get to say that you’re the most awesome pair of best friends on Endless.”   
Brown Roger drew his pool noodle across his neck, making prolonged eye contact with Todd. Todd gulped.

“Like I said guys, it’ll be fun! Trust me!” Reggie said. This appeared to be the words to start, as Brown Roger ran for her and climbed onto her shoulders, wielding both pool noodles. The Butt Witch shifted into her monster form, and Esther sat on her back. “To war!” The Butt Witch snarled, charging Reggie.

“Woo!” Reggie yelled. “Get her, Brown Roger! Winner fights Todd and Gwen!”   
Unsurprisingly, Butt Witch and Esther won against Reggie and Brown Roger, but it was harder in a fair fight.   
Todd and Gwen just barely won.   
They proceeded to the volcano—Todd and Gwen got to go across first, followed by Esther and the Butt Witch, and finally Reggie and Brown Roger. Pretty Please was a neutral judge with a stopwatch.

Gwen was not accustomed to pool noodles under her feet, and nearly dropped herself into the lava a few times. She and Todd only got across because her power involved force fields. Her suit was still burned, though.

Esther balanced on top of Butt Witch’s shoulders, trying to create a flying ball under the pool noodles. It did not work at all, and they were nearly sprawled into the lava. The only thing that saved them was the fact that the Butt Witch was impervious to it.   
“Aw, what! That’s cheating!” Reggie called from the other end.   
“You never specified.” Butt Witch smirked, holding two mostly good pool noodles up.

Reggie had been practicing, and got across the volcano the quickest, even if her pool noodles were somewhat destroyed. “Flaps, hit me!” She called upon reaching the other side.   
She was given another pool noodle.

Colin was waiting, and what mattered here most was Colin being given the most to eat. Here, Esther and the Butt Witch won.   
“Ha ha! We beat the final challenge—bow before me!” Butt Witch cackled.   
Esther high-fived her tentatively.

“Good game, guys. Looks like we all won something.” Gwen said.   
“Yeah, I guess we’re all the most awesome best friends on Endless, or whatever.” Todd said.   
“Sore losers.” Butt Witch muttered. “_We_ won.”   
“Yeah!” Reggie said, ignoring her. “Told you it’d be fun!”

“We nearly died.” Gwen said, eying Colin speculatively as he ate and ate.   
“Yeah, but we _didn’t_.” Reggie replied. “You know why? ‘Cause we’re best friends.”

“Eugh.” Butt Witch said, though she didn’t deny it, and she didn’t shy away when Reggie pulled them all in for a group hug.


	2. Just follow me, I know the area.

Big Deal ran as fast as his legs would carry him, huffing and puffing all the way. Wow, Ma’am’s tail was heavy! He could see why she’d want it back—he couldn’t imagine walking without his own tail to give him balance.

Luckily, she was still crawling on the ground.   
“Ma’am!” He said excitedly.   
She had him pinned down by the neck before he could say anything else.

She growled and sniffed him suspiciously, and he stayed very, very still.   
“Why do you have this?” She picked up her tail like it weighed nothing.   
“I-I thought you might want it back?” Big Deal cringed, realizing how lame that probably sounded. In his defense, he didn’t know how one was supposed to talk to really pretty, really dangerous ladies. She was as red as Tanopy, as round as Beefhouse, and that _smile_ she had was like nothing he’d ever seen before. Big Deal felt like he’d been struck by an arrow of love—oh, wait, no, that was her elbow on his spleen. Okay.

“Why? Why are you here?” She sniffed him cautiously, not letting her elbow up. “You’ve made your… delivery.” Her lip curled in disgust, and his spirits sagged. She didn’t like it after all.   
“I… I wanted to help you? You seem…?” He was at a loss for words.

She nodded though, as if she understood. “Fine, you want to help? Find me somewhere to… recuperate.”   
Big Deal lit up. “Just follow me, ma’am! I know the area!” (Big Deal did not know the area.) He took her by the hand. “Ma’am, you can lean on me if you need to!”   
She leaned on him quite heavily—Twelve must have really hurt her.

Her tail was left forgotten, and Big Deal headed out into the jungle. He wasn’t really going any particular way, and it didn’t seem to matter.   
“Are you _sure_ you know the area?” She said. “We’ve passed that tree three times.”   
“Well—now you know the area!” Big Deal said quickly.

She seemed largely unimpressed. “Head the other way.”   
He listened, and they came across a giant vacuum cleaner.   
“Ooh! Fancy! I mean… here we are!” Big Deal said.   
She relaxed a bit, even as they were sucked up into the interior, and it revealed a pink, fluffy bed and a pink, fluffy home, perfect for two.

She relaxed further. “The island will provide, it seems…”   
Big Deal helped her onto the bed. “Do you want to try… walking without a tail soon, Ma’am?”   
“Not now.” She rolled over. “I need to…” She trailed off, and he could tell she was frowning.   
“You need to get revenge?” Big Deal said quickly, to take her mind off of her tail. Weird that she abandoned it…

“Yes!” She said quickly, rolling back over. “Yes, I need to channel my energy into getting my island back! And you’re going to help me, Big Deal!”   
“Yes, Ma’am!” He said happily. “Uh… what should I call you?”   
“Ma’am is fine.” She said.


	3. Now? Now you listen to me?

Big Deal hurried as fast as he could go through the jungle, back to their hideout. As usual, Ma’am was muttering about getting her revenge one day. _Un_usually, Big Deal was not happy about it. He set her cage down on a log so he could look her in the eye.

“What? Why have you stopped?” She demanded in her tiny voice, rattling the bars.   
“Ma’am, I needed a break. I was thrown into a mountain today and… you nearly died.”   
She looked away and crossed her arms. “I was prepared for that outcome.”

“Wh—I wasn’t!” Big Deal said. “I was—and I still am!—scared, and worried so much that my tummy hurts, and also I’m in a lot of pain, and was any of it worth it?”   
She scoffed, and still didn’t look at him. “It was _going_ to be. If only those children hadn’t….!”   
Big Deal was at the end of his rope. “_No_, Ma’am! Was it, as it stands, worth it!”

“Next time—”   
Big Deal threw his tiny hands in the air. “Ma’am, there won’t _be_ a next time, because I’m not going to help you get into this situation again! Ma’am, I’m hurt, both emotionally and physically! I didn’t _want_ to destroy the island, and you knew that, which is why you fed me that terrible thing! I bruise easily in the best of circumstances!”

She was silent for a minute. “I didn’t know it mattered that much.”   
Big Deal’s face drooped. “Ma’am, I tried to tell you! Why are you—you’re listening to me _now_, after we’ve lost everything? Would you still have listened if I was dying or if you were…?”   
She stood up off of the floor of her tiny cage. “In all honesty, Big Deal, if I was still… that… I wouldn’t care. And I think you know why, given how many of those things I ate and how only one affected you.”   
“It didn’t affect you the same way!” Big Deal pointed out.

She rubbed at her arms. “…No. It didn’t. It was… intoxicating. And worrying. I told myself I’d never be that kind of person, but it… agh, never mind! You are my minion, you’re not for _therapy_!”   
“Those two aren’t mutually exclusive!” Big Deal said. “And… and you still haven’t… Ma’am, if you don’t explain yourself, or-or apologize, I’m going to leave once you’re better, because I can’t keep _doing_ this!”

Her face was outraged for a moment, then it just became sad. “You’re right. You deserve better.”   
“That’s not an apology!” Big Deal plunked himself down in front of the cage, arms crossed.   
She smirked. “What a time to grow a spine, Big Deal! You must have taken in more from the worm than I thought!”   
“Ma’am, I’m serious. You’re not listening to me.”

“On the contrary, Big Deal, this is one of our most fascinating conversations yet.” She purred.   
He was unimpressed. “Ma’am, I just… if this is who you really are, maybe we shouldn’t work together anymore.”   
She swallowed, and sat down on the floor of her cage. “I… please don’t leave me.”   
He seemed unmoved, but his eyes were shining.

She looked away from him again, deep into the jungle where she could hear those obnoxious children. “I… I lost sight of what was really important. I used you. I was a bad friend, and a bad boss. I can’t… I can’t do this without you, Big Deal. But you’d probably be better off without me, not getting thrown three ways to Sunday whenever the hooligans are in a mood. So, no, I won’t apologize, because I want you to leave, and have a better life.”

“…Ma’am, when you care so much about someone that you want to let them go or-or help them, even if it hurts you, that means you love them.” Big Deal opened the cage gently, and cradled her in his palms. “And I love you too, and that’s why I fight for you.”   
“You shouldn’t.” She muttered.

He gently kissed the top of her head. “And I will. Thank you for listening, Ma’am.”  
She scoffed. “Whatever, you’re stuck with deciding what we do know that we can no longer be villains.”   
Big Deal laughed, and helped her onto the less wounded side of his back, and they went home.


	4. I know you didn't ask for this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First time that Big Deal gets hurt in the show is in Mac and Beefhouse Forever. Not only do Esther and Todd tackle him and swing him around-- and y'know, force the card out of his mouth-- Reggie whacks him with a folding chair. Oof. 
> 
> Poor little guy just needs some love! (Also this is probably why he told Reggie he was horrified of her in his debut episode/line.)

Big Deal was stretched out in the bed, while she watched from the shadows. Or, more accurately, her armchair. Her good arm was folded underneath her chin as she watched his chest slowly rise and fall.

This was all the fault of those _fucking children_. They broke her arm. They destroyed her island. They—the redheaded little chit, anyway—beat Big Deal with a fucking chair. Animals! So what if she had set their goody-two shoes couple (lying about how in love they are, because no one was that in love!) off? That had been a fair fight. This wasn’t—and she was also deeply unhappy about having to give up _her_ bed while she was recuperating, and having to go traipsing around the island to find wherever Big Deal had been whacked like a baseball. If she had turned the channel just a bit quicker… she didn’t want to think about it.

She moved so that she was sitting next to him on the bed. No point in being coy.   
He whimpered in his sleep, before gently opening his eyes. At first, she was insulted—was he repulsed by her? Damned cast… then she realized that he must have twinged part of himself in his sleep.

“Ma’am?” He asked in a hoarse voice.   
She awkwardly patted his face. “There, there… Big Deal.”   
“Ma’am, I’m sorry.” He rasped.

She handed him a cup of water. “What for?”   
“For-for messing up the mission you gave me.” He gulped down the water after this.   
She waited until he was done, partially because she was thinking on what to say. “I know that this is… I know you didn’t ask for this.”

He stared at her.   
What, was her apology lacking? Though really, what did she have to be sorry for? It was the children who were wrong.   
She squirmed in her seat. “I know… you signed up to help me destroy the island. I know you didn’t realize how terrible and violent these children are. Or maybe you did, maybe that’s why you’re here. I don’t really care. I… never intended for you to be hurt though.”

He reached for her good hand, even if it was with his more hurt wing. “Ma’am…”   
She resisted the urge to slap it away, and settled for moving and glaring at him. “What? You think minions grow on trees? They don’t, but I could still replace you if need be!”   
She curled up on her side, facing away from him, before looking over her shoulder. He was also curled up—it was a bit pathetic, really…

“Get up.” She huffed. “Now that you’re awake, I need to bandage you up and take a look at that wing.”   
“Yes, ma’am!” He said quickly. He was able to sit up, but not much more, but that didn’t really matter. He was her minion.


	5. I might just kiss you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eve doesn't know that's just how new babies look. Penelope is a normal baby, I promise.

Eve—she was Eve now, wasn’t she? Now that she could no longer go back to Endless, or was that a dream?—woke up blearily. Why was it so bright in here?

She stared directly at the overhead light. Why on Earth had they made lights brighter while she was out?   
She looked to the side. A bassinet was to her left… wait, was it empty? Panic began to rise in her—they took her baby? Why? Where was her baby? What had she done to deserve--?! Did they know she’d be a bad mother—did one of those children tell them?!

“My baby, where’s my baby?” She murmured.   
“Easy, Ma’am, it’s okay—I have her.” A familiar voice said.   
She looked past the bassinet. There was a short, round man with scruffy facial hair in a purple suit, holding a small bundle. She squinted at him. “…Big Deal?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” He grinned.   
She stared at him uncomprehendingly. “You’re human.”   
“Yeah, don’t you remember?”

It hurt to remember, and it felt like she was pulling at dreams. “…no.”   
He deflated slightly. “Oh. That’s okay. Um… do you want to hold her? The human who looks like Twelve—she said her name’s Judy—asked me what her name was but I wasn’t sure…”   
Big Deal—he couldn’t have that name now that he was human, could he?—handed her the bundle. She stared down at the baby. It was small, and very red, and looked somewhat pinched. It was a very ugly baby.

“I might just kiss you.” She whispered to the baby, before planting a kiss on her tiny forehead.   
Big Deal shuffled his chair closer to the bed. “What now, Ma’am?”

Eve felt incredibly tired. “I don’t know. You figure it out, for once. Penelope and I are going to sleep now.”   
“Okay, Ma’am.” Big Deal moved to take her baby away, and she held Penelope away. She was not filled with confidence regarding this human Big Deal, as opposed to her dragon minion. “No. My baby.”   
“O-okay Ma’am…”

Oddly enough, Big Deal _did_ figure out everything, despite also having to juggle preconceptions of human society. He’d come visit her and Penelope, telling her how he set up a nursery for the baby. Frankly, Eve was not impressed.

She was finally released from the hospital, and drove herself and Big Deal home. Yes, it hurt somewhat, but she knew he didn’t know how to drive. The baby slept peacefully in the back of the car, still red and pinched and ugly.

Eve took the baby out—the baby went everywhere with her. Penelope was ugly, therefore Eve wasn’t worried about living vicariously through her daughter like her own mother had. It was sad to say, but it was probably for the best that Penelope would be ugly. Ugly girls don’t get locked up in their homes by their mothers.

If Big Deal had any opinions, he didn’t say. He simply led her into the house, chattering about renovations. She was always going to comment but—huh. It looks like he had actually done things. The Sinclair house looked better than it had in years. Even the holes her mother had worn into the flooring were gone… wait.   
“You do realize that humans need to sleep, right?” She asked, squinting at Big Deal.   
He laughed. “It’s easier with you around, Ma’am.”

She forced herself not to smile. “Yes. Well. I don’t need protection.” She headed up the stairs. “Where did you put Penelope’s room?”   
“Oh! I put Penny in the room next to us!”   
“Penelope.” She corrected absentmindedly, before doubling back to shoot him a Look. “Next to us?”

“In the big bedroom! There’s room for my cage there.” He said.   
She sighed deeply. Apparently he hadn’t taken to human culture _that_ well… that was on her. “Humans don’t sleep in cages, Big Deal.”   
“Oh… but I found a big one!”

She checked the master bedroom first. He had taken out her mother’s things and remodeled—it felt like a whole new room. A weight that she didn’t know that she’d been carrying was lifted off of her shoulders. There was, however, a crate for large dogs. She grimaced.

“See?” He asked, proudly showing her the crate.   
She hefted Penelope onto her shoulder. “…you can sleep in the bed with me, you know.”   
His face lit up. “Not just for special occasions?”   
“No.” She said curtly, fleeing into Penelope’s room before she had any inconvenient Feelings.

That was a mistake, there were many feelings in Penelope’s room. In the center of the room was a white bassinet, lined with a navy blanket with gold threading like there were stars sewn into the fabric. The bassinet looked impossibly soft. The walls were painted to match a sunset and countryside, and two her left, she could see two figures on a cliff, looking off at the sun. One taller, redder figure with horns and one smaller, rounder figure...

Overhead swung a detailed mobile of the planets, with a string under Saturn. She pulled it gently, and it began playing a slowed down to 0.75 the speed, major key version of...   
“Big Deal, what’s that song?” She asked.   
“Oh, Todd recommended that! He said it’s called ‘Party on Saturn’, do you like it?” She reached for the string. “It’s… it’s a lullaby now.”

“Yeah, for the baby!”   
She looked around the room. There was a walk-in closet, a diaper changing table that had diapers at the ready and little planets on the changing area, soft toys in a pile, and a giant teddy bear in the other corner. Its fur was fluffed and ready, and pink, just like her home had been.

“Big Deal…” She began softly, trying not to sound like she was crying. She wasn’t crying! It was… allergies. Because of the baby. Yes. Those. “Is this for me, or for the baby?”   
She turned to look at him, and his eyes had widened. “Oh, both! She’s your baby, Ma’am, I know that, but I wanted to give her something too. You know?”   
Eve Sinclair choked back a sob. “Big Deal… I might just kiss you.”

“Oh, Ma’am!” That’s all he really had to say before she grabbed his stupid tie (why did he still have that?) and pulled up to her for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't how it would happen in the RAF-verse. I have other plans for that. For example, the Odyssey marks a life moment for Eve, as shown in Redemption Arc Forever. Yes, the name 'Penelope' would therefore be thematically appropriate... 
> 
> Except, the Odyssey is now tied to one of the worst moments of her life. She never finished it in RAF. She would name her daughter something else if the situation arose in SF.


	6. Yes, I'm aware. Your point?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're playing Capture the Flag.

The Butt Witch stretched out her legs, sitting with her hands behind her.   
“Maybe Big Deal will come through?” Esther suggested softly. “He might still rescue us…”   
Butt Witch moved her head so as to shoot her a Look. “He’ll probably get himself captured, the idiot...”   
“No talking!” Their captor hissed at them.

Butt Witch shot their captor another Look. “Reggie, if we were not abiding by the rules of Capture the Flag, you would be _our_ prisoner. Esther can actually tie people up.”   
In response, Reggie ran her hockey stick along the bars of the prison area. There were not many bars, but still.

“I don’t think you should be so mean to Big Deal.” Esther began.   
Butt Witch nodded. “I agree. Reggie, stop beating the life out of my minion.”   
“Hey!” Reggie sat down on the other side of the bars. “I kinda stopped already! Besides, he gave me the most damage of anyone on Endless!”

“I shattered your helmet in the same incident. It very easily could have been your skull.” The Butt Witch replied, raising a hand to examine her nails.   
Esther shuddered. “Okay… that’s…”   
“Awesome.” Reggie said.

“_No_, Reggie! Not awesome! Eve, you’ve… the way that you talk about us from before…” Esther gestured. “And you still talk that way about Big Deal!”   
Butt Witch raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I’m aware. Your point?”   
Esther made a sound as though she was screaming with her mouth closed. “I know you care about us! Why…?”

“Because caring openly is a weakness.” Butt Witch replied, looking off into the jungle. “Caring is what forced my mother to the breaking point after my father left. If I pretend I don’t care, I might be able to fool myself if the worst happens… besides, then I won’t get any obsequious, saccharine sympathy.”

In the distance, Dr Champion screamed. The three turned their heads towards the sound.   
“Sounds like Todd got caught.” Esther noted. “How many of your teammates is that, Reggie?”   
“We still got sneaky Brown Roger.” Reggie replied. “We can win this. Anyway, Eve, that’s… not healthy.”

“You think everything’s not healthy.” Butt Witch sneered, sitting up and crossing her arms.   
“A lot of the ways you form and maintain interpersonal relationships are unhealthy, yes.” Esther agreed. “Big Deal’s not going to leave you if you’re nice to him.”   
“I know that! I just… save it for special occasions.” Butt Witch muttered. “I’m not _mean_ to him…”

“What about the way you talk about our relationship before we were all stuck on Endless?” Esther continued.   
Butt Witch scoffed. “What? It’s true. It happened. That’s what I thought at the time, and it’s what I would have continued to think had that little chit not tried to destroy everything. Honesty is important.”   
Reggie opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by a tiny purple hand reaching through the underbrush and grabbing Butt Witch’s shoulder.

She leapt nimbly out of the prison area. “Looks like I’m back in the game.”   
The tiny purple hand searched for Esther while Reggie tried to chase after Butt Witch.   
“How much of that did you hear?” Esther asked.   
“Enough.” Big Deal shrugged. “That’s just how Ma’am is. I wouldn’t want her any different, and I don’t think you would either.”

Esther pursed her lips. “She needs therapy.”   
Anything else she or Big Deal would have said was cut off as Brown Roger came running into the clearing, holding the red flag. Game, set, match.


	7. No, and that's final.

“No.”   
Reggie pouted, and pleaded, and threw herself dramatically on the sofa, mindful of her cast.   
Judy remained unmoved. “You’re not going back… there. Not if I can do anything about it.”   
Reggie flopped her head on the sofa. “Mooom. It’s not that bad there. And it should be fixed!”

“No, and that’s final.” Judy hissed. “And your leg won’t magically be better there.”   
“Dr Champion’s leg was.” Reggie muttered rebelliously.   
Judy pursed her lips. “I’d feel better if… it’s not… Reggie, I’m worried about _you_.” She sat down on the couch.

Reggie scowled. “Nothing’s ever happened like that before.”   
“But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen again.” Judy said, pressing her face into her hands. “I nearly lost you, Reggie.”   
Reggie squirmed uncomfortably. “You’d still have Dustin.”   
“Reggie, there’s no replacing you. You and Dustin aren’t interchangeable.” Judy said gently. “And he missed you too.”

Reggie dragged her arm over her eyes. “You’re not going to make me sad. I want to go back to Endless eventually—you can’t stop me!”   
“Reggie, when will you understand how dangerous this is?” Judy huffed. “I just… it’s so difficult communicating with you sometimes!”   
“It’s difficult for me too, y’know.” Reggie huffed.

Judy patted Reggie’s good leg awkwardly. “Reg… it’s a parent’s job to worry. And I guess it’s a kid’s job to rebel, and the difference is what happens in the middle. I… thank you, for asking about Endless instead of just going.”   
“I didn’t want you to worry.” Reggie replied.

“I know. You’re a good kid.”   
“Then why won’t you let me go to Endless? Don’t you trust me?” Reggie demanded.   
“Reggie, it’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s that I don’t trust _that place_. From what you’ve described…” Judy shuddered.   
Reggie flopped dramatically again, much like a beached fish. “You could come with me.”   
“Maybe next time, Reg.”

“It’s so boring here.” Reggie whined. “I hate Bethune.”   
Judy sighed. “Okay, then, how about this. You grow up, and in exchange, you’ll get to see the world. You’ll have to make it past twelve, which means no more situations like _that_.”   
“Mom, I was never in _that_ much danger.” Reggie pointed out.

“I didn’t know that.” Judy whispered, holding back tears. “I didn’t know if I’d never see you again, if the last thing I’d said to you was something about remembering your homework… I was so scared, Reggie. I’m still kind of scared. And you want to go _back_ to that… place?”   
Reggie looked at her mother’s hands. “…maybe not yet, but yeah. Someday.”   
Judy drew a shaky breath. “I guess that’s the best I’m going to get.”


	8. Can you Stay?

She hadn’t been doing _well _since she’d gotten back to Bethune, per se. She had appreciated the tiny keyboard he’d gotten her (years of piano lessons paid off) until she’d realized it didn’t sound _good_. She had the cast off now, but she was still… unhappy?

Big Deal had convinced her to leave the house—vacuum? And that had been fun, she’d gotten to those children. It didn’t matter that nothing happened, because somewhere in the back of her mind, she didn’t want to _explicitly murder children_.

But now the children had been home for the last few days, or staying out of her way. This ordinarily wouldn’t be a problem, but the only thing she had to do with herself was try to ruin children’s lives. Children who couldn’t even be bothered to be threatened by her. That was… well, actually, that was just kind of pathetic.

“What are we doing today, Ma’am?” Big Deal said cheerfully.   
She rolled over. “I’m having a _bad day_, Big Deal.” Effectively, this just wrapped her tighter in her covers.   
“Oh, do you need me to get you anything?” Big Deal asked.   
She snorted derisively. “No.”

“Oh, okay. …do you want the TV on?”   
“No.”   
“Um… okay… do you want to play a board game?”

“_No_. Can you just leave with your _questions_ and _talking_?” She spat.   
Big Deal’s face fell. “Okay, Ma’am…”   
He started to fly away, and something inside her clenched. “Wait. Can you… stay? And just… I don’t know, keep me warm?”   
Big Deal’s face lit up. “Of course, Ma’am! Uh, do you want me under the covers, or…?”

“Under is fine, if you can get in.”   
He could not, but that’s not what mattered. He cuddled up to her, much like a cat, and she could focus on anything else besides her own head.   
Finally, the silence got to her. “Big Deal, tell me about yourself.”

Big Deal’s face lit up. “Oh, Ma’am! Where do I start?”   
The wave of useless chatter washed over her, but she found herself somewhat… soothed by it? It was inane, and yet… she didn’t feel pushed to be anything but there. There were no expectations, no plans, just the two of them. She found herself drifting off to sleep at the sound of his voice, and decided that it wasn’t such a bad day. Maybe more of a medium day.


	9. There is a certain taste to it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soda was mentioned in Chapter 5 of Redemption Arc Forever.

Everyone waited with baited breath as the Butt Witch took a sip.

When the word ‘everyone’ is said in this context, it must be clarified; Big Deal, Reggie, Esther, Todd, Brown Roger, Dr Champion, and Colin were all clustered around the Butt Witch, who in turn was sitting outside of the soda shack on the beach.

Admittedly, some of them (most of them) were merely feigning interest.   
She put the can down..   
“Drink it!” Dr Champion screeched. “Drink it all!”

“Charles, don’t make me throw this at your head.” The Butt Witch snapped.   
“So, how is it?” Reggie asked.   
The Butt Witch screwed up her face in thought. “There’s a certain… taste to it.”   
“It’s awesome, right?” Reggie nodded, grabbing herself another can.

The drink in question was Bubblegum Mango Cola, supplied by Endless, and proclaimed as ‘Twelve’s Favorite’.   
Reggie paused for a minute, then started handing out cans to everyone else. Brown Roger and Colin drank it dutifully, and Dr Champion dumped it on top of his head.

“Thanks, Reggie.” Esther said in a way that implied that she too didn’t like the monstrosity.   
Reggie nodded. “It’s the flavor of the month!”   
“Reggie, it’s always the flavor of the month.” Todd said.   
Reggie nodded. “Yeah, I designed it myself.”

The Butt Witch hurriedly handed Big Deal her can. “Oh, how unfortunate, I have already drunk mine. It was just _so_ good. But I could not possibly impose and ask for another.”   
“It’s okay, Endless’ll just make more.” Reggie said, digging around for another can.   
The Butt Witch grimaced. “Unfortunately, I… need to drink Diet Soda.”

“Why?” Reggie asked, pausing to look at the Butt Witch.   
“Well, you see, adults and children process drinking in different ways. This doesn’t quench my thirst.” Butt Witch pointed to Dr Champion’s empty can.   
“Well, yeah, he dumped it on his head.”

Big Deal was hurriedly trying to chug Ma’am’s can so he could get to his own before Twelve saw. Big Deal didn’t necessarily like them either, but he didn’t want to be the first one to crack and say so. (He probably would if Twelve spoke to him directly.)

“That’s a Dr Champion thing.” The Butt Witch said flippantly. “He doesn’t count.”   
“Well, how come Big Deal can drink it?” Reggie asked. “Isn’t he an adult?”   
Big Deal choked and spluttered at hearing his name.

Everyone watched.   
The Butt Witch patted him on the back. “You see? I thought he might be safe because—”   
Another round of coughing.   
“—because he’s my minion, and does what—”   
A truly hideous round of coughing.

“Jesus Christ, are you alright, Big Deal?” the Butt Witch picked him up like a balloon. You could hear the soda inside him sloshing around.   
Big Deal nodded weakly, and continued coughing.   
“Right, we’re going home. See you next time, children.”

“Bye!” Esther said. Her mouth said, ‘goodbye’ but her eyes said, ‘how dare you get out of this without me’.   
Funnily enough, Big Deal stopped coughing as soon as they were out of the children’s earshot.


	10. Listen, I can't explain it. You'll just have to trust me.

“Hey, Gwen.” Todd said, walking up to her after school.   
She bumped his hip playfully. “Hey, Todd. What’s up?”   
Todd scratched the back of his head. “I uh… there’s a place I want to show you.”

“Sounds like I’m going to get murdered. Go on.” Gwen said.   
Todd laughed. “No, it’s… it’s where Reggie, Esther and I go all the time. Reggie finally relented, she’s kinda territorial about it…”   
“I’m flattered. Where is it?” Gwen asked.   
Todd opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to think of what to say. “Listen, I can’t explain it. You’ll just have to trust me.”

“That _definitely_ sounds like I’m going to get murdered.” Gwen laughed.   
Todd laughed too. “Here, follow me.”   
He led her around the side of the school, looked both ways, and pulled out his key. “Don’t freak out, okay?”

He looped the key around both their necks, and focused. The next thing Gwen knew, they were hurtling onto the warp pad on Endless.   
It wasn’t necessarily the best timing. Colin was out and about—and near the warp pad, along with some of the other, less… savoury Endless profiles.

“Who’s this?” Colin asked, leaning really close into Gwen’s space.   
“LET ME EAT YOUR HAIR.” Dr Champion screamed. “I NEED IT. PLEASE, FOR THE VITAMINS.”   
Brown Roger threw sand at Todd, just on principle.

“Ow, okay, okay, everyone give her some space, this is her first time on Endless.” Todd said.   
“Do you want a _tasty meatball_?” Tasty Troy asked.   
“Uh… no. Not right now. Thanks.” Gwen said hurriedly.   
“Mm… they’re good…”

“I’m good.”   
“Yes… you are…”

Gwen shuddered, and tried to focus on something else. “…why are you purple, Todd?”   
“Everyone who comes to Endless has powers. Mine are shapeshifting.” Todd said, shifting into a dinosaur to prove his point.

That might have been the end of it all, but Reggie was then thrown out of the jungle. Todd and Gwen looked up to see a massive red form, with huge teeth.   
“Oh no.” Todd said. “I knew we shouldn’t have trusted her!”   
“What is going on?” Gwen demanded.

“That’s the Butt Witch—”   
“The _what_?!”   
Esther whirled through at that moment, with a referee’s whistle. “Time! Round goes to Reggie!”   
Reggie picked herself up and laughed—and the red form shuddered and disappeared… no, changed. “Ha ha! So close!”   
“You’ll always be number one in my heart, Ma’am!” Big Deal said, trailing after her as she made her way up the beach.

“Shut up, Big Deal.” She said affably. “Good game, Reggie. I’ll destroy you next time, though. Hello, Fish boy. Who’s this?”   
Gwen held out her hand. “I’m Gwen Stevens.”

Brown Roger poked his head in and sniffed her hand.   
“Gwen! Welcome to Endless!” Reggie said. “It’s—you’ve seen Sharkboy and Lavagirl, right? It’s a new movie? Well, this place is _basically_ Planet Drool!”   
“Wasn’t the whole point of that movie that Max couldn’t stay in Planet Drool and avoid his problems in the real world, because they followed him there?” Esther asked.

“Pfft, no.” Reggie said quickly.   
“I have no idea what this movie is, but I hate it.” The Butt Witch said, before looking at Gwen. Gwen’s jumpsuit, similar to Todd’s, was cool colours. Unlike Todd’s, hers was blue with purple diamonds running down it. “So what’s your power?”

“Uh… I just got here.” Gwen said.   
The Butt Witch tapped her chin reflectively. “Hmm… well, I know how to unlock your powers?”   
“Really?” Gwen asked.   
“Oh yes, I’m directly responsible for Esther unlocking hers.” The Butt Witch grinned.

“No way.” Todd said. “Reggie, you’re not going to let her do this, right?”   
Reggie shrugged.   
“She’ll be fine.” The Butt Witch promised. “I only actually hurt you all once or twice, and I was a lot more powerful then.”   
“And a lot angrier.” Big Deal chimed in.

“Mm…” The Butt Witch agreed, before suddenly grabbing Gwen’s leg and tossing her into the ocean.   
“Gwen!” Todd yelled.   
She didn’t surface immediately, in fact, it seemed like the water was… gathering.

All of a sudden, she appeared on top of a massive wave. She walked towards the beach, the water rising up to bring her closer. “This is _so cool_! Have you guys seen that one show on Nickelodeon?”   
The water gently deposited her next to Todd, who blinked. “Okay. I stand corrected.”   
“Come on, let’s show you Endless!” Reggie said, grabbing Gwen’s hand.


	11. It's not always like this

Reggie was fascinating, for lack of a better word.

Because that’s what the point of Endless _was_, to fascinate Her.   
But somehow, Reggie had bucked the conventions She had set in place. How would you draw someone into a trap when they had such tethers bringing them home? Reggie was frustrating, yes, that was it, frustrating and fascinating. Bethune couldn’t look away from her.

Reggie often lead new people around the island—stop telling them things! There was the Todd boy, who She had tolerated, and Esther, who neither of them had liked. Esther had been an accident. Bethune had felt the loneliness over Her grave and had _pulled_ and now… well, now it didn’t matter. It was Eve’s fault anyway.

But then that little boy and the girl their age and now an _adult_… an adult, on Bethune’s island? A real adult, not just Eve, a child in an adult’s body? Reggie was lucky that she was favored so much.   
“It’s not always like this.” Reggie said to her mother.   
It _was_ always like this. It was down-right well behaved, in fact, and who was Reggie to tell Her toys to behave?

Bethune could see Eve corral some of the more worrying aspects of Endless, and stay out of sight. No doubt she’d want to be at her most human if she met Reggie’s mother.  
The mother seemed jumpy regardless. Good. Or not, Bethune didn’t know, She just knew that there was an ache in Her chest that she didn’t want to think about. Reggie was still chattering away blithely, tugging on her mother’s hand.

The mother kept looking around. Could she feel Her eyes on her? Bethune hoped so. Reggie’s luck would run out soon—luck was just a God favoring you. Lucky, lucky, foolish, favored, frustrating, _fascinating_ Reggie. She’d stay Bethune’s favorite forever, unless somehow a new favorite toy came along. But for now, She’d have to wait.

Eve melted out of the jungle, scaring Reggie’s mother. Good. Leave.   
“Who are you?”   
“I’m Evelyn Sinclair.”

“You disappeared—this is where you went? You’re still nineteen.”   
“Yes. But I promise you, that won’t happen to your daughter. I’ll take care of her.”

Well now. There were two conflicting promises, and Bethune knew how smart Eve was. Eve was a former favorite, kept around because she was still amusing. Like two dolls, one in each hand, Bethune would play with Her favorites. _But_, Eve was interesting because she knew, and feared Bethune, which was right and thrilled Bethune to Her core. Bethune knew Eve knew She was always watching, that She was well aware of promises and words and whatnot spoken in the dark.

So this was a promise not just to Reggie’s mother—and why did Reggie of all people, who didn’t appreciate her mother, get to keep hers when Bethune didn’t? At least Eve didn’t have her mother—but it was also a promise to Bethune Herself. Bethune giggled. What’s a witch to a god?

So, it wasn’t always like this. Her little dolls always kept Her amused, and on Her toes. What good dolls. What a good show. How smart of them to do so—because if they weren’t amusing, Bethune would have to put the island to sleep and get a new toy.

Reggie and her mother left for the night, and Bethune watched the stars that She had made. It was good to be a God.


	12. What if I don't see it?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An alternative take on the last chapter of Redemption Arc Forever.

The first morning that Butt Witch woke up after being knocked out on Endless, she was back in her own bed. “Good morning, Ma’am!” Big Deal called to her. “I made that thing that Mac and Beefhouse recommended that you like!”   
“French toast.” She mumbled, sitting up and looking around.

Nothing had changed—in fact, it seemed a lot like that day a few… how long ago was that? Was any of it real? …if it wasn’t, she’d be better to the children, rather than tormenting them. Maybe. Sometimes it was fun, in an educational way. Sometimes they needed to learn.   
Big Deal slid a tray in front of her. His cooking had been growing slowly better—the French toast was covered in strawberries, and some sort of jam. The smell of his cooking lingered in the room, and her stomach clenched.

“Acceptable.” She said, not bothering to eat delicately. Big Deal was either well aware that she wasn’t a lady, or needed to learn.   
Big Deal beamed, and ate his own breakfast. “So, Ma’am… I was hoping that we could go out today.”   
“As ‘reconnaissance’?” Eve laughed humorlessly. “Fine—let’s go soak up some sunlight anyway. No need for tricks.”

Big Deal’s face lit up, then he realized what she had said. “Oh-oh no, Ma’am! I wasn’t trying to trick you!”   
“It’s _alright_, Big Deal.” Butt Witch said. “I don’t mind.”

Big Deal relaxed. They spent the day at the beach, playing volleyball, doing yoga with a somewhat wary Mack and Beefhouse, and then later they watched _Dirk’s Got Problems_. It wasn’t… it wasn’t _exactly_ the same as the last time, and Butt Witch didn’t know whether that pleased her or not. She wouldn’t go back inside until she _knew_, though.

She sat on the beach, anxiety coiled in her like a spring. _What if I don’t see it_? She thought to herself as Big Deal ran hither and yon, collecting seashells. If it had been a dream, there would be no sunset. If not…

The sky turned red as the sun began to slip behind the hills of Endless.   
She exhaled a deep breath, though she wasn’t necessarily relieved. She had work to do. She had to save the children now.


	13. I never knew it could be this way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an alternate universe where instead of Reggie whacking Big Deal with a chair, Mack and Beefhouse kept him for questioning.

Big Deal was an idiot, but he was _her_ idiot dammit. There’d be hell to pay for this…! Especially since she’d had to venture out of her lair, injured. Not wanting to encounter the brats like this, she’d waited until they left before making her move.

Now, she stood outside of the space that the two giants had taken for their own—or perhaps had built. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was recovering her minion.  
She peered in the window. Big Deal was _taking tea_ with the giant who didn’t have a beard. She wouldn’t be able to grab him yet. Wait, where was the other one…?

“Can I help you?” Someone asked behind her.  
She didn’t jump. She was the most powerful creature on Endless, and she didn’t _jump_ when startled. She did turn around and hiss at the person who had startled her—ah, there was the bearded giant.  
“I have come for my minion. Stand aside.” She growled.  
The bearded giant didn’t seem fazed. “Oh no, you’re injured.”

She cradled her cast to her chest. “That is of no consequence.”  
“Do you want to come inside and have some tea?” The bearded one asked.  
“I don’t need your sympathy.” She huffed, though she followed him in anyway.  
“Mack, it seems that we have another guest!” The bearded one called. “I’ll fetch another cup of the guest china.”

“Oh no, Beefhouse, let me do it.” Mack said, rising to his feet.  
“Big Deal, come on, we’re going.” She interrupted.  
“Oh, but Ma’am, I haven’t finished my tea.” Big Deal held up his cup.

She sat down next to him, in a cross-legged stance. “Hurry it up then.” She kept an eye on each of the giants, and when she was given a cup of tea, waited until they sipped it first.

“I’m glad that you’re here.” Mack said. “Big Deal has had a lot to say about you.”  
“Has he now,” She said, glaring at her minion. He hurriedly sipped his (refilled!) tea.  
“We also wanted to have an opportunity to talk to you about that trick that you played earlier.” Beefhouse broke in. “It really hurt both of our feelings.”

She squirmed in her seat. How dare they make her feel guilty! “I was just trying to _help _you.”  
“How did you think that you were helping us?” Mack asked.  
“She said—” Big Deal broke in.  
Beefhouse held up a hand. “We know what she said to you, but we want to hear it for ourselves.”

She glared at them. “I was trying to help you two see the _truth_. No one is that happy. You’re just lying to yourselves, and you’ll both be a lot happier once you admit it.”  
“Okay, and why would you think that?” Mack asked her, refilling her tea.  
“I…” She trailed off. There was something, but she couldn’t remember it. Remembering hurt. “It’s true, isn’t it? _Isn’t it_?”

Now they were looking at her with _pity_ of all things. She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. “Come on, Big Deal, it’s time to go.”  
“Oh, but Ma’am…” Big Deal said, looking around at the giants.  
“Ma’am, no one’s trying to attack you.” Beefhouse said. “We’re just trying to show you that there is an alternative path. It’s obvious that you’ve been hurt in the past, but that’s no reason to take it out on others.”

“I wasn’t taking it on you! I was _helping_ you!” She hissed. “It broke her when he left, and I never saw him again!”  
“Who are you talking about, Ma’am?” Big Deal asked.  
She clutched at her head. “I don’t know! Leave me alone!”

She felt a gentle hand on her back, rubbing in circles. She looked up—oh God, it was Mack the giant.  
“Let’s all take a minute to calm down.” Mack said, backing away from her at her glare.  
She bit back a reply that it wasn’t _let’s all_, it was just her.  
“Ma’am, we recognize that you were just trying to help us in your own way, but we prefer to talk out our problems. Even if things eventually go the way that you predict, at least we will have tried. It sounds a bit like you were affected by a traumatic relationship close to you, and it’s affected your worldview. That’s why we talk things out, so that we don’t end things the way that you fear.” Mack said.

“Now you share.” Big Deal said.  
She stared at him. “Share what?”  
“Share your feelings! Mack and Beefhouse are really good listeners!”  
Beefhouse inclined his head as thanks. “Only when someone is able to share what’s bothering them.”

She stared at her hands, her stupid cast that only Big Deal had signed, then she looked up at the giants. There was a peace between them that she didn’t recognize. “I didn’t know it could be this way.” She admitted. “Not… not hating each other.”  
“That’s a good start.” Beefhouse said. “What are you going to do with that, now?”

“I won’t attack you or your relationship again.” She admitted sullenly.  
“No, what are you going to do with this for _you_?” Mack asked. “We’ve already forgiven you and Big Deal, and Big Deal has already promised himself not to do this again.”  
“I didn’t ask for your forgiveness.” She spat.

“We didn’t want it to fester in our hearts.” Beefhouse said. “Sometimes, you have to let go of the hurt that people have caused you, for your own sake.”  
She stared at him, uncomprehending.  
“Holding on to pain and past slights doesn’t help you, especially if the people in question are gone or regret their actions. And we can tell that you _do_ regret your actions.” Mack said, looking between her and Big Deal.  
Her stupid minion nodded eagerly, and she herself gave one nod. Fine. She didn’t want to make them mad, sue her.

She stood, realizing their angle. “This is to make me stop challenging that brat Twelve for control of the island! You don’t care about me, you’re just making sure that I go away quietly! Come, Big Deal, they shan’t trick us anymore!”  
The giants didn’t look frustrated that she’d figured out their trick, they looked… sad? Disappointed?

“It’s not about Reggie, but if you’re ready to go, we won’t stop you.” Beefhouse said.  
“It was nice talking to you, Ma’am, Big Deal.” Mack added.  
She stalked towards the door, then turned at the last minute. “Thank you for the tea. And the… things you said. Even if they were a trick, you might be right. …maybe I’ll come back.”  
Both the giants smiled at her.

“We’d love to have you both back.” Beefhouse said.  
She nodded curtly, then left, holding Big Deal’s hand.


	14. I can't come back.

Eve stood in front of the Sinclair house, flanked on either side by Reggie and Esther.  
“Can I ring the doorbell?” Reggie asked.  
“Go ahead.” Eve said, trying to act nonchalant. It was better to delegate it to Reggie.  
_Ding, dong, ding dong, dingdongdingdongdingdong_.

Susanne Sinclair finally opened the door. “What?! …Evelyn?”  
Eve squared her shoulders, and Esther and Reggie took her hands. “Hey.”  
“Come in.” Susanne said.  
Eve walked in, still holding Reggie and Esther’s hands.

The three sat down on the dusty couch.  
“What a lovely home you have.” Esther said.  
“Evelyn, I’m glad that you finally made more age-appropriate friends.” Susanne said, sitting down across from them.

Eve snorted. “Do you hear yourself? I’ve been gone for 35 years, and that’s all you have to say?”  
“Well, it was the Meadows family—” Susanne tried to say.  
“Going by Father’s surname doesn’t change the fact that they were _your_ family! Why would they kidnap me? Better yet, if you were so obsessed with finding me, why not ask _them_?” Eve burst out.

There was silence for a minute, then Esther said, “Okay… how about we all relax, and take a deep breath before we say things we don’t mean?”  
Susanne’s hands shook, and she looked down at them. “No. No, it wasn’t 35 years… how… how could I be so old… it was a trick, you wicked, thoughtless child, always playing tricks on me.”  
“Dude, I think your mom’s actually sick.” Reggie commented.

“What would you know about _sickness_?” Susanne spat. “What would you know about having your daughter, your life, dragged away from you by people you trusted? I begged, Evelyn. I begged my parents, my brother, all of them, to give you back and reveal you, but they all lied.”  
“Because it was never any of them, Mother.” Eve snapped. “Also, your memory of events and what actually happened are _so different_—”

Esther withdrew a whistle, and blew it. “Okay! That was a great start, but I think we want to roll it back, right, Eve?”  
Eve nodded, and took a deep breath. “I thought I owed it to you to try and explain what happened, and… maybe move forward with you.”  
“Well, there’s no need for your friends to be here. Obviously we’ll sort this all out over dinner.” Susanne said.

“Mother, I’m not coming back.” Eve said softly.  
Susanne blinked owlishly. “Of course you are. A girl needs her mother, how would you survive out there?”  
“Apparently pretty well, as I’ve spent the last three decades not dead.” Eve replied, not pointing out that none of that had been on this plane of existence.  
“You could never come find me?” Susanne asked, her shoulders shaking. “Never tell me that you were still alive?”

“No. I couldn’t.” Eve said, squeezing Reggie and Esther’s hands. They squeezed back. “Mother, it wasn’t about you. I… wasn’t myself for a while.”  
Susanne wiped at her eyes. “And you don’t want to go _back_ to being yourself?”  
“Evelyn Rosemary Sinclair wasn’t me either.” Eve said firmly. “I thought I owed you something more than he did.”

“You always were his daughter.” Susanne moved back to the window, turning her back to them. “Go on, leave then, Little Miss Sinclair.”  
“What’s happening?” Reggie whispered, leaning over Eve.  
“I think her mother’s still looking for her daughter, because she can’t accept that Eve is her own person.” Esther whispered back, doing the same thing.  
“That’s messed up.” Reggie said quietly.

Eve stood. “You don’t… you don’t have to accept me like this. I can live without your acceptance. But this is all you’re going to get.”  
“So many years, wasted…” Susanne said.  
“That was your choice.” Eve said firmly. “But, there’s still time now.”

Susanne turned to Eve. “You’re a cruel girl. How do I know you’re not a fake, pretending to be my Evelyn?”  
“I’m dressed in the clothes I left in!” Eve pointed out. “…have people tried to do that?”  
“No.” Susanne sniffed. “But I knew it was a matter of time—David left his money to me, in the end. Idiot never had his will changed. Caspar, Father, Mother, they all tried to throw money at me. I’m the only one left now. Where would all of this have gone if you hadn’t returned, Evelyn?”

Eve raised an eyebrow, then turned slowly around the room. The house had fallen into disrepair while she had been gone—old floorboards had rotten through in some places, the window was smeared with dirt and cracked in the corner, and the furniture looked like it would collapse under the weight of the dust on it. “What _opulence_ would have gone to waste.” She sneered.

Susanne nodded slowly, not catching her daughter’s sarcasm. “Caspar, the traitor… not all of it went to me. He left some to the town, said we shouldn’t run it all. Stopped paying for private investigators—I didn’t need him!”  
“Mother, calm down.” Eve said. “Uncle Caspar’s gone, you outlived them all. No need to speak ill of the dead.”  
Susanne nodded slowly again, like she had water in her ears and couldn’t quite hear her daughter. “Yes… and now you come back when I’m dying, ungrateful child. All you want is the family money, don’t you? You’ll run through it with your wicked and wild ways. I know you!”

“Make up your mind! Am I a pale imitation of your real daughter, a money grubbing whore, or the devil incarnate?” Eve growled.  
“…you’re my Evelyn.” Susanne finally answered. “I… thank you, for coming back.”  
“I’m not coming back.” Eve corrected.

“But you did. You came back already. And… you’ll come back again?” Susanne asked softly, taking Eve’s hand in hers.  
Eve nodded gently. “Yeah, Mother. I’ll come back.”  
Susanne patted Eve’s hand. “Good girl. Where are you going now?”  
“…that’s a bit hard to explain.” Eve said. “…I might come back. Officially. In the future.”

Susanne nodded, more firmly. “Yes, you will.”  
“Not for you.” Eve said, looking at Esther and Reggie.

“Eve’s gonna have a BABY!” Reggie said, standing on the couch. “And she said _I_ could be the godmother!”  
“She said we could _both_ be godmothers, Reggie.” Esther corrected. “And then Big Deal told everyone on Endless, and now they all want to be godmothers.”  
“Yeah, but we’re the _real_ ones.” Reggie said, not noticing Susanne trying to glare a hole into Eve’s skull.

“’Big Deal’? Did you get pregnant by a _drug dealer_?” Susanne clutched at her pearl necklace. “Is that why you’ve returned? To seek safe harbor in my home?”  
“Yes, that’s my lover’s name.” Eve drawled, crossing her arms. “No, he’s my… he’s my Big Deal. He’s going to raise the baby with me. And no, that’s _definitely_ not why I’m here. Girls, let’s go, Reggie’s mom’s going to want her car back soon.”

Right before she swept out of the room, she said to Susanne, “I’ll be back, okay?”  
Susanne smiled. “I know. I love you, Evelyn. In my own way.”  
“I know, Mother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how in RAF Susanne said that the Meadows family took her daughter? 
> 
> And how now she's blaming HER family? 
> 
> Those two aren't mutually exclusive (at all). Susanne Sinclair was a Meadows before she married David Sinclair. BAM I bet you guess didn't expect THAT reveal in a Fictober drabble that'll probably play out differently in Sacrifices Forever.
> 
> Also, that end line where she says she loves her daughter doesn't excuse her actions AND THAT'S WHY EVE DOESN'T SAY IT BACK. TAKE THAT, SUSANNE.


	15. That's what I'm talking about!

Reggie laughed as the water balloon came sailing her way. “That’s what I’m talking about! Hit me!”   
Brown Roger chittered nervously, then threw his water balloon at her feet.   
She frowned at him. “Aw, c’mon buddy! Hit me with all you got!”   
Dr Champion acquiesced, and she was actually knocked off of her feet.

“Twelve! Why are you sleeping!” Dr Champion yelled. “No one sleeps on Endless!”   
Reggie got up slowly. “Ha ha, good throw, Dr Champion.”   
She winced as he ripped another water balloon apart over his head, then screamed.   
She watched the citizens of Endless for a minute, then something soft—that didn’t explode? Hit her from behind.

“You are interrupting my sleep.” The Butt Witch said, walking forward to retrieve her pillow.   
“Dr Champion said no one sleeps on Endless.” Reggie replied.   
“Rampion is an idiot, don’t listen to him.” Butt Witch shot back. “So, where are your friends? Boy, Girl, and Esther?”   
Reggie slumped. “Todd and Gwen are on a date. Esther’s sick. But we were going to have a water balloon fight today, and I don’t want it to go to waste!”

“Why was I not informed?” Butt Witch asked.   
Big Deal jogged up to her. “Actually, Ma’am, I told you, but you said to put it with your ‘other concerns’.”   
“Yeah, you redirected it to your secretary!” Reggie gestured to Big Deal, who looked rather put on the spot. “You’ve been sleeping _forever_, Eve!”

“Well, I’m very tired.” Butt Witch bit back. “You wouldn’t understand, you’re not an adult.”   
“_Boo_, why are you so tired?” Reggie asked.   
“…maybe I lie awake longer than I should.” Butt Witch admitted. “It’s… hard to get to sleep, and hard to leave it.”

“Dude, that doesn’t sound healthy.” Reggie frowned. Big Deal nodded in the background, stopping quickly when the Butt Witch whipped her head around to look at him.   
“I know that!” Butt Witch said. “…I know that. I can’t exactly go to a doctor.”   
Reggie shrugged, because she was twelve and didn’t really know how to deal with this. “Wanna join the water balloon fight? You’ll have a chance to hang out with someone other than—”

Dr Champion hit the Butt Witch squarely in the face with a water balloon, then ran away cackling.   
“Big Deal, take my pillow back to the lair.” The Butt Witch ordered. “I have revenge to get.”   
Reggie whooped happily. Water balloon fights were always better with a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I project my own depression onto Eve.


	16. Listen. No, really listen.

Big Deal took a deep breath. "Listen. No, really listen."   
The Butt Witch nodded. "Go ahead, Big Deal." 

"_So, I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want." _  
_"So tell me what you want what you really really want._" The Butt Witch nodded. 

The kids watched them on the karoake machine.   
"Do they... know the Spice Girls?" Reggie wondered. "How does _anyone_ on Endless know the Spice Girls?"   
"How do _you_ know the band, Reg?" Todd asked. 

Reggie flushed. "What, I can play around with the karoake machine! Where'd it come from, anyway?"   
Esther slowly raised her hand. 

"You might as well get over here, children!" The Butt Witch called. "I can hear you squabbling!"   
"_Friendship never eeeends!_" Big Deal sang his heart out.   
The children looked at each other, shrugged, and joined them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late + so short.


	17. There is just something about her/him/it.

Big Deal wasn’t the strongest, or the bravest, or the best person on Endless. And really, depending on who you asked, those were all the same person; Twelve.

Twelve scared Big Deal. She didn’t seem to realize just how powerful she was, and everything seemed to bend to her will. No one else agreed. Everyone kind of thought he was weird anyway, so… but then, a gorgeous woman showed up. A drop-dead gorgeous woman—as in an actual adult. Maybe it was because she was the only woman she’d ever seen, but he loved her immediately.

No one else agreed with that either. Pretty Please tried to pull him away from the woman, even when she was fighting Twelve. She fought Twelve—_and nearly won_. And then she became his Ma’am. No one understood that, as well, on the rare chance that he ran into them.

“But she’s evil.” Pretty Please pointed out, sipping her milkshake.   
“No she’s not!” Big Deal said quickly. “She’s just… she has a different way of looking at things! This used to be her island, you know. She just wants things to go back to the way they were.”   
“I don’t know, Big Deal.” Tater Tot stirred her own drink with her straw. “What do you see in her?”   
“I… there’s just something about her.” Big Deal said. “I can’t explain it. Maybe she’s to me what Twelve is to you guys.”

“Twelve’s not evil.” Pretty Please said, frowning.   
“Also, we don’t feel about Twelve the way you feel about… what’s her name again?” Tater Tot added.   
“I… we haven’t actually gotten to that point, yet.” Big Deal admitted, eating a spoonful of ice cream.   
Beth drummed her fingers on the table, before saying, “I’m glad that you found someone who makes you happy, Big Deal. You seemed kinda… lonely.”

The other two nodded.   
“Aw, thanks, Beth.” Big Deal said.   
She nodded, which was weird because of the way that her eyes stayed stationary. “I just hope she’s worth it.”   
“She is!” Big Deal rushed to assure her. “She’s my everything.”

“I think that you should expand your world a bit, Big Deal.” Pretty Please said. The other two nodded solemnly.   
“Yeah, what if it doesn’t work out the way you want it to?” Tater Tot asked.   
Big Deal looked down at his ice cream. It was starting to melt a bit under the heat of Endless’ sun. “It-it will.”   
Beth laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. “We’re always here for you, Big Deal.”

“Thanks, guys.” He said. “I… I don’t _want_ to go back to the way things were before though, y’know?”   
“What d’you mean?” Tater Tot asked as Pretty Please sipped her milkshake.   
“I was… you…” Big Deal sighed. “You wouldn’t get it.”   
Beth shrugged, which wasn’t that different from her nodding. “It’s not that hard to guess, Big Deal. You were always a bit different—and different’s good on Endless!”

Pretty Please’s drink made a horrible sucking sound as she tried to get the dregs. “I don’t think anything will actually get you to leave her if she does turn out to be awful, will it, Big Deal? And even if it did, things would never truly be the same.”   
“You guys are a lot more introspective now that Twelve’s not here.” Big Deal chuckled awkwardly, ducking his head to avoid looking at her.   
“Sometimes it’s easier to play dumb. Twelve wants fun, not for us to make her think.” Tater Tot shrugged. “It’s… it’s fun to be able to turn your brain off and play around for a bit.”

Big Deal looked at his hands. “I think… I think I like Ma’am because she makes me feel like I’m turning my brain _on_, you know? Like she wants me to be smarter, so I actually have to work for my conclusions and stuff. It’s… it’s good for me.”   
“Then we’re happy for you.” Beth said, finally picking up her glass of a root beer float, and throwing it all into her mouth—glass and all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big Deal needs friends, and Beth needs more screentime. (I mean, I guess all of them do, but Beth never seems to get the same treatment. She's my favorite, she's so sweet.)


End file.
